Snowflakes and Sesshomaru by Aurora

Snowflakes and Sesshomaru

Disclaimer- I am still trying to use the internet to establish that I am related to Rumiko Takahashi. No luck so far, maybe tomorrow… ;D

Title: Snowflakes and Sesshomaru
Author: DawningAurora
Prompt: Wonderland Challenge.
Genre:Romance,
AU/CU: Canon Universe; Post-series.
Rating: K
Warnings: Crack Pairing, cavity inducing fluff, possible character assassination.
Word Count: 1,301
A/N: This is part of the Dokuga Wonderland! Challenge. I've wrangled with this wee beastie for 2 months and long, sweet last! It's finally postable..
Summary: What happens to the angst-ridden romance of a taiyoukai and a miko when a kitsune and his playmate are added to the mix?

#*****#

"Have you seen Shippo?" Kagome asked Sango, who was fussing with her last born daughter's clothes. Chiaki blinked in her direction before gurgling happily as she reached for her. Happily forgetting her worries for a while, Kagome relieved Sango of Chiaki and played with her until she began to nod off. Gently depositing the child into the crib that she brought for Chiaki and her siblings (a gift from Mama), she decided to go look for Shippo. As she stepped out she donned a light over-robe studded with fire colored stones frolicking in a floral motif, a gift from Sesshomaru-sama.

She remembered the event quite vividly. Sesshomaru-sama often visited the village from time to time to visit Rin, bearing gifts for her. During all those times, he never acknowledged her beyond the occasional unreadable, slanted look in her direction and stilted, one-sided conversations. On the eve of her birthday, despite her insistence to the contrary, Sango insisted on a village-wide celebration. Her argument was that the villagers have had precious little to celebrate over. The feasting and celebrating lasted all night long. Somewhere in the middle of the night, Kagome had stepped out for a bit of fresh air as she was exhausted from greeting all the well wishers. She had strayed a little too far and had to sit by a ring of rocks in a conveniently situated meadow.

As she lay down to stare up at the dreamy, wispy slivers of clouds against the inky silken skies, she began to feel very sluggish. She stretched lazily and settled her head into a comfortable position on her arm and rested her eyes.

When she woke, with vague dreams of indigo moons and twin suns against a silver sky, as she found herself cocooned in a bundle of kimonos while nursing a cold. On a stand before her, splayed innocuously, lay the delicate measure of silk.

Returning to the present after her trip to memory lane, she went in search of Shippo. The flurry of snowflakes offered a faintly glistening, ever changing canvas. She smiled to herself at the memories of Rin and Shippo playing in the snow as children. Shippo had declared Snowball War! on Miroku and InuYasha as he sided with Kagome and Rin to help them build and later 'defend' their territory, which was usually a big boulder, and fend off 'attacks' by the big, nasty Monk-Demon. The term had drawn a whisper-soft chuckle from Sesshomaru-sama. Only Kagome had been close enough to hear.. and later pretend that she didn't. Her smile widened involuntarily at the memory.

Over the years she had diligently studied Sesshomaru-sama. It was a testament to his control that she was still learning something new about him even after all these years.

He sat so still he would have blended into the snow if it weren't for the brilliant yet sparse color kissing the curve of his cheek and dotting his kimono. InuYasha had managed to persuade his brother from donning armor within the village. It had made the villagers queasy. She would have walked right by him, if it weren't for his daunting presence and the splash of flames sitting on a low branch of a tree.

She gasped as she realized it was a bird. A slitted gaze fixed on her from both bird and master. Initially, the look would have made her knees knock together but now.. She stifled the urge to giggle at the sight.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she enquired cautiously, "May I ask you a question?"

The bird cocked its head and studied her with its intelligent eyes. It was her way to warning him that a lengthy, wordy conversation was about to ensue.

"Hn"

"What is this? I mean I know it's a bird but I've never seen a bird like this before. That was why I was curious and.." she trailed off, unsure as to what to say.

His expression did not change though a slight crinkling at the corner of his eyes betrayed his amusement at her ramble.

"It's a Phoenix."

"A Phoenix?" she echoed quizzically, "I didn't know there were Phoenixes in Japan, or that they existed at all."

"They are notoriously shy creatures that stick to their own. Feng-Huan was a wedding gift to Mother."

She heard him out in silence, nodding thoughtfully. "Is Feng-Huan the only Phoenix in Japan?"

His expression remained unchanged as the bird landed on his wrist. "Unlikely."

She paused as he literally saw the question pass through her mind, "Sesshomaru-sama, May I touch um.. her?"

"Hn"

A happy smile lit her face at this declaration somehow managing to echo a child-like delight. She stepped closer to him, pretending that both the thrill racing through her veins and the fact that her heart was beating its own version of a love song against her ribs was due to the bird and not him.

She raised her palm slowly drifted in its direction. She paused and silently asked for its permission. The bird bowed its acquiescence. The Phoenix's plumage seemed to be spun from living flames under her fingers. It did not seem to burn. She coo-ed at the bird and received the bird equivalent of a raised eyebrow. She apologized laughingly and soon combed her fingers through the plumage, eliciting a deep trill of satisfaction.

Sesshomaru watched the exchange with a hooded gaze. She seemed to sense his gaze and looked right into his eyes. That was something very few would dare to endeavor and among them, most would flinch away from the predatory intensity. Not her, she looked -searchingly and unafraid- into their depths but never away. The novelty of it did not seem to wear off for him.

"Sesshomaru-sama, are you leaving soon?" she asked. He thought he heard a pang of wistfulnessnes beneath her neutral words, which made him wonder why she was upset at his leaving.

"In two days" he replied curtly. She exhaled pensively and sat beside him. He bristled both at her audacity and their proximity but before he could do or say anything a series of explosions set off close to them in a flash of color and sound.

Kagome ducked behind her hands and partially flinched into his side and his arm wrapped protectively around her. When they ended, she raised her head and found to her dismay that the winter wonderland around them was turned into a riot of colors.

Sesshomaru rose and examined the scene before him, cataloguing everything before him. He bent to pick up a tattered leaf. His nostrils flared as a flash of understanding shimmered in his eyes.

"It would seem Mother must be made to wait yet again, until this debauchery is dealt with." he proclaimed, his solemn tone belying the amusement tugging faintly at the corners of his lips.

Kagome tried her hardest to hide her smile at this abrupt change of plans as she noncommittally said "I see."

In the bushes nearby and conveniently downwind, a kit and his almost-grown playmate giggled in conspiratorial glee at a job well done.

#*****#